Indianapolis…John Dimick, Director of Programming and Operations for Jefferson-Pilot in San Diego, has been named Program Director of WQHT-FM, New York’s influential HOT 97.
“After an exhaustive nationwide search, we have found the right person to lead HOT 97 and continue our level of excellence,” Barry Mayo, Senior Vice President of Emmis-New York, said. “John is passionate about grooming top talent and building successful morning shows. He understands that radio today is about great talent, and that’s what makes, and keeps, great radio stations great.”
HOT 97 is the world’s No. 1 radio hip-hop brand, and has been No. 1 in the 18-34 demographic for 31 straight Arbitron books.
Dimick, a Utah State University graduate, has been in radio for 25 years, with stints at KBLQ-AM/FM in Logan, Utah; KERN-FM in Bakersfield, California; KISN-FM in Salt Lake City; KPLZ-FM in Seattle; and WNCI-FM in Columbus, Ohio, before arriving at his current position in San Diego in 1998. At WNCI-FM, he was named Top 40 program director of the year by Radio Ink magazine. In San Diego, Dimick oversaw KSON-FM (No. 1 country station), KIFM-FM (No. 1, 25-54, smooth jazz format) and KBZT-FM (No. 1 alternative rock station).
Long-time HOT 97 program director Tracy Cloherty will continue her successful 15-year association with HOT 97 as a programming consultant to the station. “Tracy has wanted to move on to concentrate on her television project for over a year and a half. It’s taken me every bit of that time to find her successor. I’m thrilled that she’s still going to be available to help John,” Mayo concluded.
Dimick begins his new position in mid-December.
Emmis Communications…Great Media. Great People. Great Service.®
Emmis Communications is an Indianapolis-based diversified media firm with radio broadcasting, television broadcasting and magazine publishing operations. Emmis has announced but not yet completed a swap of three Phoenix radio stations for one Chicago radio station. Pro forma for that transaction, Emmis will own 23 FM and 2 AM domestic radio stations serving the nation’s largest markets of New York, Los Angeles and Chicago as well as Phoenix, St. Louis, Austin, Indianapolis and Terre Haute, IN. In addition, Emmis owns a radio network, international radio stations, 16 television stations, regional and specialty magazines, and ancillary businesses in broadcast sales and book publishing.
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